The City of Stars (or, A Tale of The Crooner & The Greaser)
by Vincent the Sheep
Summary: In which two uncommon acquaintances run into one another. A mountain gorilla and a white mouse, couldn't be any more different, save for the one thing they had in common-music.
1. Groceries

On a lively Friday night, amidst the metropolitan cityscape, Johnny was on a mission.

Although it was a menial task, he couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility, that he was being productive with his time, somehow. It had once been one of his first roles within his father's gang, years ago, perhaps when Johnny was in grade school even. He had never felt so important and helpful back then.

But of course, Johnny grew out of that attitude in later years.

Now, after all that's happened, Johnny only had himself to look out for. The supermarket was only a short walk from his place anyway, and it was better than having an empty fridge.

After padlocking the steel garage door from the outside, Johnny began his journey. He enjoyed walking by himself, sometimes he'd purposely take long routes to prolong it. It gave Johnny a moment of privacy, time to think, or an opportunity to listen to his favourite songs, of which he'd never admit to anyone-let alone his family.

Johnny put his earphones in, and allowed the music to carry him across the pavement. He barely resisted the urge to dance, mouthing the words to a melodic pop piece that he'd grown rather fond of. In that moment, Johnny could imagine himself on stage again, in the moment he always dreamed to live.

The brutish sound of a sports car accelerating behind him rudely startled him out of that trance.

Slightly annoyed, Johnny turned to find the source of the noise. Definitely a red sports car of some kind, likely belonging to another speed junkie from the city, or someone stupidly rich. Those were the only two types Johnny knew that owned expensive cars, and he didn't get along much with either.

It passed him for only a second, but something struck him odd about the car. Or maybe...it was the driver. At a glance, there didn't appear to be anyone manning the vehicle, but that couldn't be true.

Now the vehicle had pulled over a fair bit ahead, giving Johnny a better look from a distance. There was indeed a driver, but they were of a far smaller species. A mouse, bright red suit and fedora, could barely be recognised.

Johnny only knew one fancily dressed mouse, and he hadn't seen him in more than a week.

"Hey!" Johnny called after him, jogging up and across the street to the passenger side of the car. Upon approaching the familiar acquaintance, he could confirm his identity.

"Goddammit!" He could hear the driver curse. Without a doubt, that voice belonged to-

"Mike…?" Johnny asked as he approached. "That is your name, isn't it?"

"Yeah? What do you want-oh!" Mike blinked in recognition as he looked up. "Hey, I know you…it's Bobby, right?"

"Johnny. From the singing competition, yeah?"

Mike slowly nodded, before trying to turn the engine on again. "Oh...yeah, of course. How could I forget-Come on, seriously?!"

 _Looks like he's out of gas, but nevermind that-he looks like crap!_

Johnny observed the tiredness in the mouse's voice, which matched his expression. Dark circles and dirt detailed the rodent's face, holding a degree of grime that was, to be frank, shocking.

It made the gorilla wonder just what in the world Mike had been doing in the past few days. More importantly, why had he never contacted _any_ of them, his friends from the Theatre? Johnny was more than slightly curious to know, and was almost thankful that Mike's misfortune with his car had given him this opportunity to ask at all.

So he did just that. "Uh, so how ya been man? Certainly been a while, aye?"

"What's it to you?" The rodent grumbled, smacking the dashboard. "You feeling sorry for me or something?"

"No, no. Nothing like that!" Johnny held his hands up. "Just curious on how you been doing, you know? Everyone's...kinda been wondering where you've been..."

"Is that so?" Mike huffed a small, dry laugh, still focussing on starting the car. "Well I don't need your concern, or any of theirs for that matter! I'm doing just fine over here. See this fancy and expensive sports car? It's mine! Nobody else's!"

 _Uh huh. Summin tells me he's bluffing. He looks like crap. Though that is a really nice car…_

"I was wondering' about that actually…The car, I mean." Johnny started, hoping some small talk would defuse any tension between them. "What's the model?"

"Heh, you really wanna know? Obviously it's a…." Mike trailed off, clearly thinking about it. "Well, it doesn't really matter, does it? I saw it, it looked nice, I wanted it, I got it. It's the only good thing I have going for me, so who cares what the hell model it is?"

Johnny gave a nervous laugh. "Heh, I guess that's fair enough...wait, what did you say?"

"What dy'a mean ' _what did I say_?" The mouse's expression darkened as he lost patience. "Did I stutter, kid? This car's all I got, everything I'm worth, ya hear? So I'm not going to let _you_ judge it or my lifestyle like it's any of your damn business, okay?"

Johnny wasn't sure what to say to that. He wanted to explain himself, or apologise, but it seemed even that led the risk of accidently patronizing the smaller mammal. Something was certainly wrong with Mike's life, his more defensive-than-normal attitude made that clear. But if he didn't want to explain anything to Johnny, then perhaps it wasn't his business to pry.

Besides, Johnny had developed a knack for knowing when he wasn't wanted around.

"Yeah, alright." He sighed, slowly backing away. "I'll leave you to it then…See ya round, s'pose…"

A second later, Mike spoke up quietly. "Wait."

Johnny stopped, stepping back towards the vehicle. "What'sup?"

"Listen, kid. I…" Mike started, but then hesitated for a moment. "I...didn't mean to outburst or anything. I'm just a little stressed, okay? It's been a hell of a week and….it's stupid…."

That struck Johnny's curiosity. "You don't say…"

 _I could definitely tell he was tired. Hang on, wasn't he just driving? It's a blimmin miracle he hasn't crashed!_

Mike spoke up with a carefully neutral tone. "Hey, do me a favour will ya? Forget I said any of that stuff. The last thing I need is everyone to go off _worrying_ about me..."

"Uh, well…" Johnny wasn't sure what to do. He didn't want to press Mike for information and irritate him, but he couldn't just leave the matter alone, either. "Are you in some kinda trouble?"

"Whaaaat? N-no, why would I be? What gave you that idea? Just...busy living the music life and stuff. Pft, you wouldn't understand..."

 _Well I'm kind of a musician too, you know…Besides, you're lying mate._

Johnny grew tired of dancing around the matter anyway. "Hey Mike, if there's something messed up going on with you, you can tell me, right? I won't judge you or anything..."

Mike responded with a strange fusion of expression that Johnny couldn't read, before furrowing his gaze at the gorilla. "And...why would I do that? What, do you expect me to break down and tell you all my troubles like some sobby patient in therapy? I'll pass, thank you very much."

Johnny could feel his chest rise slightly. "Okay, listen mate, if you got some things you wanna keep secret, it doesn't bother me. But don't think I'm stupid enough not to realise you're in some kinda trouble, and that I'm too much of an arsehole to care, alright? Everyone's worried, including me, whether you like it or not! So what the hell's happening'?"

Mike gave Johnny a long hard stare, before sighing in resignation. "Trouble...Yeah, that's an understatement. I'd love to explain it all to you but..." He let out a yawn. "I can't really concentrate right now. Maybe later...dammit, I gotta _focus_."

"You tired?"

"Oh, whatever gave you that idea?"

"Alright, ha ha. Stupid question. But seriously though, where's your pad? I could give you a ride if you-"

"Forget it, I don't have a place."

"Then where do you-oh…"

Mike nodded solemnly. "Yeah, like I said, this car is _literally_ all I have. So if you don't mind, I gotta find a way to hide this thing tonight so I can rest in peace-literally. Not in _that_ sense…"

 _Why would he need to hide his car? Unless he's being followed..._

"Then come stay at my place!" Johnny uttered those words before he could realise what he was saying.

Even Mike was taken off guard. "What? You-you're not serious?""

"I mean...why not? There's heaps of space in my garage for your car, you could sleep somewhere decent, and s' really close by…"

"Uh...well…I shouldn't..."

"C'mon, it's really no hassle, honest!"

Mike shook his head. "You really don't know what you're asking, kid. I don't _do_ friends very well. I'd just be a pain in the ass to live with..."

"Can't be as bad as some of my relatives. Trust me, I'll manage." Johnny smiled. "Besides, it'd be pretty hard moving that thing by yourself wouldn't it?"

 _Please just say yes. You know you want to…_

The rodent opened his mouth to argue, but conceded with a sigh. "...Guess I don't have much of a choice left, do I? Screw it, I'll bite. Where's your place?"

"It's literally down the road. I could probably push your car there, if you want."

 _Am I even that strong? Guess I could, the car's not terribly massive..._

"That's convenient." Mike mumbled, looking down at his dashboard. "I would drive you, but...you already know I'm outta gas."

"Ain't no fuss, I'll handle it."

Johnny walked behind the mouse's sports car, put on a brave face, and began pushing the car a block to his home. It was a moderate challenge, but he managed without complaint. He could hardly ask Mike for help, and as a mountain gorilla, Johnny felt that he owed it to his species to save face in regards to his upper body strength.

Upon arrival at his home, Johnny, sweating internally, opened up the garage door. "Alright, there should be enough space to fit that thing inside...One more push….and there we go."

"Impressive." Mike leapt out of his car. "So this is your place, huh?"

Johnny gave his home a once-over. "Yeah, sorry for the mess, we don't normally have guests over…Not that I mind, of course! It's just really uncommon, is all..."

Mike huffed. "Looks just fine to me. So where do ya sleep, upstairs?"

Johnny nodded, pointing at various places of importance. "Yeah, my room's just at the top. But...there's a couch over there if you want your own space. Privacy and all. Bathroom down here's second door on the right, down the corridor next to the kitchen. That reminds me, you hungry?"

Mike seemed to hesitate "I don't wanna impose, but….okay, what do you have?"

"Lemme see."

Johnny walked into the kitchen, before realising something. "Oh crap, I didn't grab any groceries!" He checked his watch. "Blimey, the store closes in ten minutes. I gotta go."

"Hey, if it's too much trouble, then forget about it. Why you gotta-"

"Cause I got no food for dinner, or breakfast, or anything! Fridge's completely empty, I was on my way to get everything actually..." Johnny was already tieing his shoes up. "Listen, I'll be back in a bit, could you...just stay here while I head out?"

"Wha-you serious? You're just leaving this place to me?"

"Yeah, I won't be long, promise. Just make yourself comfortable, I think I've pointed out everything, I think?"

"Sure but-"

"Okay, I'll be right back!"

With that, Johnny left his home, checking his watch again as he slammed the door behind him. If he wanted to make it in time to buy some decent food, he'd have to run.

* * *

Mike couldn't do anything but watch the door slam in front of him.

"Seriously…" He muttered to himself. Did this kid seriously just leave the care of his entire place to _him_? Was he really that naive, or just stupid?

 _I could rob the kid blind, if I wanted to. But even if I did, I'd have to ditch the car-why am I even thinking about this?_

Although the opportunity presented itself, Mike really had no temptation to betray the young gorilla's trust, especially not after he offered him a place to stay for the night. Besides, he seemed like a nice kid anyway, and a damn good singer, if Mike could recall. Not the worst person he could've been forced to stay with, he supposed. What did he have to gain by screwing people over at this point?

Not to mention, he was starving for some dinner.

Mike tried to remember the last thing he ate, then did his very best to forget such a dreadful memory. He would have to hide his excitement to the best of his ability once Johnny returned-the last thing Mike wanted was to appear desperate.

Even though he certainly was.

Mike could feel his eyes droop, his body yelled at him to get some rest, but of course that would have to wait after dinner. He cursed himself after automatically yawning.

 _I wonder if he has any coffee...I mean, why the hell wouldn't he? Ah screw it, I'd never find it anyway._

In an attempt to kill time, and for some peace of mind, Mike took it upon himself to explore the apartment. As much as Mike didn't want to admit it, it was a monumental adventure in itself.

 _Of course everything's so freaking big, the guy's a damn gorilla...Even so, it kinda seems big for just one kid._

That included, he realised with despair, the kitchen.

 _He better not expect ME to do the cooking..._

And, with even more despair, the bathroom.

 _...You gotta be kidding me._

Still, Mike reasoned that an oversized bathroom it was better than any beat-up alleyway. He'd just have to figure out a way to shower and use the toilet _without_ drowning himself, but Mike prided himself on his resourcefulness. He would find a way, or humiliate himself trying.

Mike went back to his car to unpack everything he had-his saxophone, and a pair of spare clothes he'd never want to be seen in.

 _I really gotta get the rest of my clothes, but..._

That would involve going back to his old apartment, and Mike already knew that wasn't worth the risk at the moment. He hardly wanted to think about the Bear Mafia tracking him down, not that it could be helped. It was a miracle they hadn't found him yet.

 _Nevermind about that, I'm starving...Dammit, what's taking him so long?_

Johnny finally arrived back after what felt like years.

"Sorry 'm late. You wouldn't believe it, the amount of people in line at the counter was a nightmare!"

Mike almost made a sarcastic remark in reply, before realising who was in control of the food.

Instead, he shrugged. "Better late than never. What's on the menu?"

The rodent mentally kicked himself for giving away his hunger so quickly.

Johnny just smiled in response. "Nothing terribly fancy. Just some pasta with sauce, you know. That good? Wasn't sure what you liked."

"Works for me."

"Cool, it shouldn't take that long. Give me a minute..."

 _Thank Holy Mary…_

So Mike patiently waited, refusing to let his stomach give him away. Johnny took to the kitchen with the sort of relaxation one could spot in someone experienced in the craft.

"So...you cook much?" Mike asked from across the room. He knew he came off a little condescending, but he was genuinely curious.

The gorilla shrugged with a smile. "Sure, I used to cook heaps for…" Johnny stopped for a second. "Well...heaps for my family, when I was little. Guess you could say I was self-taught."

"Really?" Mike sat up. "You did that all by yourself? Sounds like child labour, if you ask me."

"It was better than eating takeout every single night-believe me. 'sides, I kinda enjoyed it, actually. Definitely comes in handy, too."

 _I'll say._

The dinner arrived in what felt like years, but just by the smell Mike knew it was worth the wait.

"Oh…" Johnny stopped as soon as he set down the bowl of spaghetti.

"What's wrong?"

Johnny gave off a sheepish look. "Ah-ha. I think I made a bit too much. I...kinda forgot we're different sizes for food, huh? Sorry, guess there'll be leftovers…"

Mike peered over into the bowl, letting the smell envelop him. He honestly couldn't have cared less about the quantity of it. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more Mike felt he could manage the gorilla-sized serving, indigestion be damned.

He couldn't stop himself from replying. "Who cares, I'm starving!"

The minute Johnny scooped him his share of the pasta, Mike literally dove into the bowl unashamedly. His dinner bowl was almost bigger than he was, but that didn't stop the rodent by any stretch from wolfing the cuisine down.

"Woah, I take it you're a big fan of spaghetti then?" Johnny remarked.

"Shuddup." Mike shot back, mouth full of food. "How else am I supposed to eat this, with your bigass forks?"

"Haha, good point." Johnny then widened his eyes in realisation. "Crap, now that you mention it, this place must be hella inconvenient for you, huh? Everything being big an' all..."

Mike shrugged in between bites. "Nothing I haven't handled before. You'd be surprised how many times I've seen 'something too big' and lived with it. I'll manage."

"You serious?"

"Of course I'm serious!"

"Well, that's...that's pretty impressive, that you can do all that, I mean."

"No big deal. At least _you_ know how to cook."

Johnny laughed. "It's really nothing, mate. Oh, you want something to drink?"

 _Hell yes._

"Sure, water's fine. With a straw, obviously..."

Time passed as it often did with a delicious long-awaited dinner. Mike surprised himself at how willing he was to converse with someone he'd barely known beforehand. Even stranger, Johnny spoke almost as if, for some reason, they were friends who hadn't seen each other for too long a time.

But that didn't make sense. Mike never treated him or any of the others like that before, why should he? Johnny couldn't have been that stupid not to realise that.

 _And yet, he takes me into his home like it's no big deal. Who the hell just does that?_

Right after dinner, Johnny offered to lead him upstairs to where he'd supposedly be sleeping for the night.

"Ah, that's no problem, I can sleep down here." Mike replied. "There's a couch over there, right?"

"Yeah, but I-uh...You sure?"

"Seriously, I'm sure."

 _Can't be assed making it up those stairs anyway. And I am NOT letting him carry me…_

Johnny tentatively nodded, told him to yell if needed anything, then carried himself upstairs, leaving Mike to himself.

A perilous trip to the bathroom later, Mike took off his only suit and fedora and made his way to the couch, calling it a night.

The couch cushion was already a better alternative to the backache Mike's car offered. Then again, pretty much everything about his current living arrangement was an improvement to before.

Now, rather than lack of comfort, Mike only had his own thoughts to torment him.

 _I can't rely on this kid forever, he's gonna find me out sooner or later...He's done way more than he should have, anyway. Not that I need him, he's dead-weight, I know it when I see it._

 _Still…I suppose I should thank him, shouldn't I?_

Mike buried his head into the fabric further.

 _I gotta get outta here as soon as I can, get back on my feet. But...I really am in trouble, aren't I? What the hell do I do?_

The late-night ambiance of the bustling metropolis outside eased his thoughts slightly. City-life, after all, was full of opportunity, chances to get away problems and long-shots to redemption.

Perhaps Mike could make one more gamble for his life, he had nothing much to lose anymore.

 _I….I need help. I really, honest to god, need help..._

Mike tried his best to fall asleep peacefully, but failed miserably, succumbing to his introspections. It felt like hours before he could actually doze off, and even then did he toss and turn.

That being said, it was the best sleep he had in days.


	2. Home

When Mike woke up the following morning, he had almost forgotten where he was. Sitting up, he looked around to confirm his surroundings. The large garage/living room apartment struck his memory immediately.

Oh yeah, that kid, uh-Johnny, that's it! He let me stay here, didn't he?

"Yo, you're up!" The aforementioned gorilla called from the kitchen. "I assume you wanted breakfast, yeah?"

"Oh uh, sure, that'd be nice..." Mike replied, before stifling a yawn.

"Cool, I'll be done in a sec!"

Seriously, does he have to try so hard?

Mike wasn't sure if should be impressed or concerned with the gorilla's hospitality. Either way, he certainly wouldn't complain, so he made for the table immediately.

I'm freaking starving.

The breakfast came quickly, served up as a plate of waffles, syrup and cream, the usual cliche dish, with a welcoming aroma of sweetness.

Johnny sat down. "I know the waffles are gonna be big for ya, but that can be leftovers or something..."

"Sure, it doesn't bother me." Mike let himself smirk a little. "You always this concerned with houseguests?"

"I-oh ah, sorry! It's just-"

"Gezz, chill out, kid. I'm only messing with ya..." Mike took a bite of his waffle, savouring the flavour. "I get it, you wanna be a good host. I'm...grateful for that."

Johnny's eyes widened. "...Really?"

Mike quickly roughened his tone. "Yeah yeah, but don't get yourself on a high horse about it! I just didn't want you to be crying over the mistakes you're making. You hear?"

"Oh, uh…" The gorilla loosened his expression with a smile. "Yeah, sure."

They silently ate for a while, but that didn't sit well with Mike. In his life, the only times he had silent conversation was when someone hated his guts, or he hated theirs.

So he spoke up. "So how long you been living here anyway?"

Johnny looked around the place. "Not awfully long, actually. We moved here about...a year ago I think?"

"We?"

"Oh, me and my Dad. It's...kinda a thing we used to do a lot, moving I mean."

"Wait, your Dad lives here too? I haven't seen him around..."

An awkward pause distorted the conversation. Mike looked up at Johnny to see what the matter was. The gorilla's face looked confused, no-lost?

Johnny attempted a reply, hesitating. "Well, you see...um…it's..."

Mike's mind automatically reached a conclusion. "Ah...crap, I'm sorry. I had no idea…"

"Huh?" Johnny widened his eyes with realisation. "Oh no-no, my Dad's not dead or anything! I didn't mean it like that!"

Oh hell, that's a relief.

"Then...what's the matter?" Mike asked, tentatively.

"Well…" Johnny hesitated again. "It's kinda a long story. Well, it's not that, but...I've never really talked about my Dad a whole lot...with anyone."

Crap, this is getting serious. Back out, Mike.

"Oh, I see…" Mike looked back at his oversized waffle. "You don't gotta say anything then. I get it. Things are complicated."

Johnny sighed. "It's just, well...He's in prison, along with a lot of people who hung out here. That's why there's a lotta room here."

"...What?" It was all Mike could really say.

"Yeah, I know. It's crazy, you don't have to tell me." Johnny passively tapped his fingers on the table. "If that puts ya off and you wanna leave, I won't blame you..."

Ah no, he's upset, isn't he?

"Woah woah, hang on a second!" Mike stood up to face him. "You think I'm gonna get uppity about a little something like that?"

Johnny blinked. "...Why wouldn't you?"

That's...a fair point.

Mike gave himself a second to think. "Well, uh, how do I put this…Look, I don't know the score with your Dad, what he's done to get in jail or whatever, but why the hell is it my business anyway?"

"I guess that's true, but…" Johnny looked right at him. "Doesn't that at least concern you a little? I know people who've done really crappy things to get what they want, I'm not lying!"

I know bad people too, I'm one of them.

Mike let out a deep breath. "Listen kid, I ain't gonna pretend I understand your situation, but we all have problems, okay? I certainly ain't an exception, but I guess most of us have done bad things or made mistakes at some point or another. So what? Even if what you said about your Dad bothered me, what does this have to do with you letting me stay the night anyway, huh?"

"Well…" Johnny let out a tense breath and smiled. "I suppose that's a fair point."

Mike let out a smirk. "Of course it is, you'd be damn stupid to think otherwise!"

Johnny mirrored the mouse with a smile. "You know what, I...really needed to hear all that, actually, so thank you. Really, I mean it."

Mike huffed, breaking eye contact. "Forget about it, that's just how I see it, kid. If you start getting corny on me, I'll sock ya."

The gorilla let out a soft laugh, leaning back on his chair. "Guess I'll be careful then."

Time passed, but neither of them were eating anymore.

"So...you're not gonna ask?" Mike muttered, half-hoping Johnny wouldn't hear him.

"Ask? About what?"

Here we go...

Mike let out a sigh, he didn't want to lead the conversation this way, but part of him knew it was inevitable. "About me, why I'm in trouble, why I needed your help? You're curious, aren't ya?"

Johnny didn't say anything for a moment, but slowly nodded. "I suppose I am…but I don't wanna force it outta you or anything. That ain't my business, you know?"

"That may be true, but…" Mike couldn't stop fixing his eyes at his feet. "S'pose I owe you that much, don't I?"

"If that's all good with you, then I'm willin' to listen. Hit me." The gorilla who had taken Mike into his home leaned back in his chair, signaling him to start at his own pace.

So Mike decided to tell him everything, a short but desperate tale of his life in recent times. He explained how he purchased his car, that he now illegally owns because of his ensuing debt to the bank. He explained how he stupidly swindled a gang of bears out of even more money, which he spent immediately for his own selfish exploits.

He explained how badly he screwed up everything he had going for him, and broke the heart of a gal who didn't deserve it. By the end, Mike could feel his exposition devolving into more of a self-hating rant than anything, so he stopped himself.

"So, yeah...that's about it from me." Mike let his legs swing off the edge of the kitchen table. Half of him wanted to leap off, run away and hide from the gorilla's gaze, the other yearned for a response. "Got anything you wanna say?"

Johnny let the silence linger, clearly thinking of what he should say. Mike couldn't stand it, not even for a second.

"Well, do'ya?!" Mike almost shouted. "I know the score, kid. You don't gotta tell me I'm a bad or some crap, so don't waste your damn bre-"

"You're not a bad person."

Mike, who normally hated being cut off, felt a brief wave of relief. He didn't let the feeling last for long. "Oh is that so? You sure you've been listening to the same story, kiddo? What, are you deaf? Is that it?"

Johnny had an oddly serious smile now. "You didn't hear my story then? I've run into heaps of bad types, ever since I was a toddler in fact! You ain't one of them bad types, believe me."

There it was again, that goddamn feeling of relief. He HAD to ignore it.

"Ooookay, I know what you're doing..." Mike folded his arms. "You don't wanna hurt my feelings, do ya? I get it, you want to be nice to everyone you meet, but you don't got the guts to say what's really on your-"

"Oh shutup and take a damn compliment, for fuck's sake!" The sharp use of language startled Mike, but Johnny softened his tone with an amused huff. "Honestly, you remind me of my Dad. So bloody stubborn..."

Mike just shrugged. "Yeah well, that's just how I roll, kid. Like I said, I ain't stellar with mushy crap like you seem to be."

"It's called 'not being an arsehole'. I'm sure you'll get the hang of it eventually ..."

"Oh, wise guy, huh?"

Johnny just laughed in response, Mike reluctantly snickered with him. Both of them finally got something off their chests, and that alone elevated the mood.

Breakfast was finished off not long afterwards, with Mike leaving most of his gargantuous waffle for leftovers later. The feeling of being completely full was satisfying for once.

"So...what d'ya do in a place like this?" Mike asked, hopping off the table. Hopefully moving around would do his brain some good.

"Honestly, not a whole lot." Johnny replied. "I have a job, I mean, I kinda need it for the rent…Otherwise I just try to get out, hang at Moon's theatre or...something like that."

"Oh...yeah, that's good..." Mike could feel a seed of guilt, burrowing in his stomach. "How's everyone doing over there?"

"Great! Yeah, I know Ash's been writing a couple new songs, amazing really, and she's thinking of putting out an album of some kind real soon!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! And you remember Gunter and Rosita, right? Their routines are getting real good now, like seriously professional choreography and stuff. You know Rosita actually makes her own props? Real detailed stuff."

"You don't say…" Mike mumbled. "What about that elephant chick, uh…"

"Oh, Meena? Shit, she's really good, ain't she?" Johnny beamed. "Can't believe she had stage fright with that kind of voice, you know?"

"Heh, yeah, who knew...?" Mike trailed off, having another bad feeling as to where the conversation was going.

A long few seconds passed, then Johnny spoke up quietly, carefully. "They really do miss you, ya know…"

The sincere tone took the mouse off guard, but he shrugged it off. "Well, they shouldn't. I was never friends with any of them, and vice versa..."

"But that's the thing! They know how great a performer you are, and they want to be friends with you, alright?" Johnny sighed. "Believe it or not, so do I..."

Geez, this kid's a piece of work, ain't he?

Mike huffed in frustration. "Well, it doesn't matter anyway….You know I can't be seen there for...who knows how long. I'm in a bit of a bad situation, remember?"

"...Yeah, I get that." The gorilla's hopeful tone still didn't change. "But maybe...later, you know? When all of this blows over, yeah?"

"Maybe." Mike echoed back. "But...god, I don't know. Just don't get your hopes up, alright?"

"Of course." Johnny solemnly nodded. "Well hey, I understand you gotta lay low, so you can stay here as long as you need, mate. I know it get's pretty boring here, but it's home...and pretty much all I got."

It's all I got too.

Mike let himself smile, it was the least he could do. "You ain't gonna see me complaining, believe me."

"Yo, I really hate to spring this on you, but I gotta head out for the day. Gotta make my salary for the rent, you know?"

"Sure, I ain't stopping you." Mike stretched as he stood up. "One of us has to make a living, right?"

Johnny laughed back. "Yeah, well, hopefully you should be sorted for food and drinks, I can grab some food more your size on my way back?"

"Sure, just...don't break your neck trying, will ya? Seriously, I can handle things bigger my size. It's nothing new for me."

"I'll try." Johnny smiled, already halfway to the door. "Okay, see ya!"

Just like that, Mike was left alone in the apartment once more. With little else to do, he found his saxophone case, neatly propped against the gargantuan couch.

Never a dull day without you, sweetheart.

Mike walked over, set up the instrument carefully, gave himself a deep breath, and played to no-one but himself.

* * *

Over seven hours of work, Johnny devised a plan.

Well, it was less a plan, but more of a developing idea of sorts, a series of steps to a potential solution. The way Johnny saw things, there were three problems Mike, and by extension himself, needed to deal with:

Problem one was living arrangements. It became clear that Mike would have to live at his apartment for a while. This was no problem for Johnny perse-in fact, he rather enjoyed the company that was missing since his father went to prison.

No, the inconvenience was obviously to Mike's disadvantage. There was no ways around it, everything at his apartment was too bloody big for him to live comfortably. Sure, it was likely Mike could deal with those things on his own, but it just didn't feel right. Surely there was something he could do.

Johnny resolved to at least try to have a miniature toilet installed, he definitely deserved that much. He had no idea how to even go about buying one, much less installing it, so he might have to ask Mike later. But that will be a weird conversation to have.

Problems two and three involved Mike's predicament specifically. The "Bear Mafia" wanting his head, and how in the hell Mike intended on paying a $100,000 loan back (with interest) PLUS however much he had taken from the aforementioned Bear Mafia.

Mike would need a job, which as far as Johnny knew he didn't have, and that job would have to keep him hidden from the public eye. But what kind of jobs fit that description?

Of course, it was hard to think about such economic details while dealing with a swarm of children, clinging to his legs and assaulting from all sides.

"Johnny look what I drew!"

"Banana Man, Banana Maaaaan!"

"Play with us, pleeeeeeease!"

"Hey, hey, one at a time, guys!" Johnny chuckled in exasperation. He looked around the colourful playroom for assistance. "Maria, could you lend me a hand?"

It was nearly embarrassing to admit, but Johnny had hooked the job at the local daycare not long after the performance at Moon's theatre. The pay was perhaps a little more generous than he deserved, but Maria, the lovely doe who practically ran the entire place, had insisted. Lord knows what Johnny would have done without her help.

"Hey, I can't help the fact that you're popular." Maria called back across the room with mirth, broom in one hand, washcloth covered in handpaint in the other. "Why don't you sing them something, Mr Celebrity Idol? They'd enjoy that, wouldn't you, kids?"

The idea caught the horde of kids' attention, as they collectively oooed in interest.

"I'd enjoooy that!"

"Yes yes yes! Sing us something!"

"I wanna hear you do Gaaaaga."

"No, do Toxic ! That's my favourite!"

Eventually this rave turned into a chant. "Sing! Sing! Sing! Sing! Sing!"

Johnny should've seen this coming, really. It certainly wasn't the first time he was forced to sing for the younglings, not that he minded, of course.

"Alright, alright! Let's see...anything you'd like to hear?" He sat on the floor, leveling himself with the much shorter children.

Request after request flooded him, but he did his best to cater to everyone's taste, be it an old nursery rhyme, or a powerhouse song intended for a female vocalist. In doing so, Johnny tried to get the kids involved with the singing as much as possible, and they seemed to enjoy the participation. If he could inspire even one kid to try singing seriously in the future, then embarrassing himself by belting out some Britney Spears would be bloody worth it.

A flood of Pop, Rock and even some Country songs later, Johnny called it a gig, and allowed the kids to run off to their own devices. Singing was a surprisingly easy way to influence children, maybe that was how Rosita did such a badass job with handling twenty-five piglets.

"Glad you can still entertain the masses." Maria sat down in a chair next to him.

"I do my best, Mary." Johnny relaxed himself. "Hey, why don't you give it a go? I'm sure they'd much prefer a girl doing a female-voiced song, right?"

"Ohoho no, definitely not, trust me." Maria shook her head confidently. "I think the last time I tried to sing them a nursery rhyme, someone threw a paintbrush at me."

"The kids aren't that ruthless, are they?"

"No, but one of the parents definitely were." The doe laughed. "Said I was terrifying the kids with what sounded like a demonic ritual."

"Ouch."

"Nah, it's nothing, singing just isn't my scene. Simple as that." She gave a look of contemplation. "I think I'm...more of an actress anyway, if I had to choose."

"Why does that not surprise me..." Johnny looked back at the kids. That was when something nagged at him. "Hey, could I ask you something? Like, for some advice?"

Maria raised a brow. "Advice? Something wrong?"

"Nah, nothing like that…It's more for a friend, actually."

"Oh, well, what do they need advice for?"

"Uh...Well you see, my friend's...looking for a job, but he's kinda….lacking ideas, let's just say."

"A job, huh?" Maria hummed in thought. "Well, easy. I could fit them in a position here at the daycare, if they want?"

The idea almost amused Johnny, but that wouldn't work. "Oh, nah-I don't think that'd go too well for him."

"Why not? Is he scared of children?"

"Well, he's a mouse, for starters..."

"Oooh okay, that's out of our jurisdiction then." The doe nodded. "Then get him to apply for one of those Mini-Mammal businesses, like those supermarkets, they'll take anyone small enough, apparently. That's what a friend of mine did..."

"But...what if he doesn't wanna be seen in public?" Johnny quickly realised the dodgy (but true) implications of that question and backtracked himself. "Like, he has major spatial anxiety issues, whatzit called, a-agoraphobia, you know? He still wants to earn cash, but just can't leave the apartment, like at all. Any job like that?"

Maria considered that for a second. "That's pretty specific…"

"I know, I know! Just...any idea's better than what I can come up with..."

"Hmm...Well, the only thing I can think of is some kind of phone operator, maybe...a telemarketer?"

Johnny thought about it. "A telemarketer?"

"Sure, if your friend doesn't mind harassing innocent people into giving him money for a job." She smirked.

"...You know what, that could work, actually! Like, you can do that at home, right?"

"I think so. You just gotta find the right type of company for that sort of thing and set up an interview...or I guess you could call it an audition , for your friend."

I'm sure Mike can handle that...

"Alright, yeah, no problem. I'll let him know about that!" Johnny stood up, stretching his legs to get back to work. "Thanks Maria, I owe you one, really I do!"

"Glad I could help." She smiled. "Send your friend my best, will you?"

"Of course."

Feeling a surge of newfound optimism, Johnny plowed through the rest of his shift, dealing with kids and cleaning their mess with vigor. He couldn't wait to come home and lay the idea on Mike. It sounded perfect the more he thought about it, and with a bit of luck, nothing would stop him from helping the mouse get back on his feet.

[...]

"Uh-uh, no freaking way I'm doing that!"

"Oh, come on, why not? I'm sure you'd be good as!"

Mike frowned. "That's not the point, I ain't gonna be lobbed into a group of those parasites . They call you up, harass you over some product you don't give too shots about, and then put you on the spot with awkward questions like 'How are you?' or 'Do you have a moment?' like it's their damn job. Well, I guess it is their damn job but-"

"Okay, I know it's not fantastic, but you need to do something for money don't you?" Johnny paced around his apartment, hoping it would help him think. "You got any better ideas?"

"Well, I-..." Mike looked away. "I don't have any ideas, so what? I'm sure I could come up with something waaaay better than a damn telemarketer !"

"Go on then. I'm not stopping you!"

"I will!"

"..."

"…"

"…"

"Well?"

"Fine, screw you. I'll think about it, alright?" Mike mumbled something that Johnny couldn't quite hear.

Johnny walked over to the kitchen, setting out the groceries he had gathered to prepare for dinner. "You know i'm only suggesting this stuff for your own good, right?"

Mike paused for a second, before nodding. "Yeah, you don't need to tell me. I...I know I gotta do something with myself, earn a living, but I always thought..." He trailed off.

"You always thought...?" Johnny prompted.

Mike just shook his head. "Nothing, just forget about it. You know what, I'll take the damn job, screw it. Give me a damn number and...I'll give it a try, okay?"

Relieved, Johnny cracked a smile again. "It'll be fine. I'm not gonna judge you for being a bloody telemarketer mate. Just...think of it like a performance, yeah?"

The rodent rolled his eyes, folding his arms and looking away defiantly. "Yeah yeah…you just cook us dinner and feel smug, why don't ya?"

"Haha, will do, mate." Johnny turned to prepare their food, and silently contemplated their conversation. For some strange reason, and this was probably just his imagination, Johnny thought he heard a small smile in the tone of Mike's voice, just then. Even stranger was how badly he wanted to hear it again.


	3. Phone-Call

"I can't do this…"

"Oh come off it, of course you can! You only have to talk to them, right?"

"Easy for you to say, you already have a job, don't you?"

The gorilla just shrugged him off. "You'll be fine! The number's reliable, at least that's what it said in the Yellow Pages..."

"Not winning my confidence here…"

Johnny did a quick job tying his shoes. "Listen, I'll be back in an hour, maybe even less than that. Tell me all about it, yeah?"

"Hey-wait a second! Where do you think you're-?"

The front door slammed. Just like that, the gorilla had left him alone in his apartment again.

 _That bastard...He really likes getting out, doesn't he?_

 _Wait, who the hell was Maria again? Ah, nevermind..._

Mike sighed, staring at the mobile phone he was holding. It was an old piece of technology, a flip phone from the early last decade, but it did its job-and it was cheap.

He dialed the number Johnny gave him before he could let himself back out. The dial tone that rang made him more nervous than he'd admit.

 _Why am I so damn nervous about this? C'mon, pull yourself together, Mike!_

After a moment, a charmingly feminine voice came on the line. "Welcome to the Telephonic Enterprise Detail Corporation, this is Leslie speaking. How may I help you today?"

Mike cleared his throat. "Uh, hey there-" He stopped himself from calling her 'sweetheart'. "Miss...Leslie, right? That was your name?"

She made a small laugh. "That's right! What do you need?"

 _At least she seems nice..._

"I-uh, I heard from a friend-well, an acquaintance really-about a job opening you had. Is...is that still there?"

"Ah yes, the vacancy." Typing could be heard on the line. "I assume you've already sent in your resume through email...what was your name?"

 _A resume?!_

"Oh, ah-I...haven't done that part, actually…Do I need one?"

There was a brief pause. "...You've never done this before, have you?"

"Uh...no." Mike tapped his foot nervously. "To be completely honest with you, this is kinda my first gig-I mean, job interview."

"Do you...not have any qualifications?"

 _I have a music degree if that helps._

"Uh...not for marketing ." Mike hit himself. "Ah-listen, please, if you have anything I can do I'll take it! I'm...I really need some work ..."

"Sorry, but I don't know if I can-"

"Look, my name's Mike MacFarlane, okay?" The mouse gripped his mobile tightly so it wouldn't slip with the sweat on his palms. "Just...put my name in the system or whatever, and if something comes up-"

"Oh, uh-I'm sorry, but I don't think I can help you on this matter. I deeply apologise, and hope you can resolve your problem elsewhere. Have a nice day…"

"Hey, wait a second, lady!"

The phone cut out.

"Dammit!" Mike threw the phone across the room, letting it violently land on the sofa.

 _Of_ course _you needed a resume, you idiot! What, did you think they'd let just anyone in?_

Then his mobile rang again. Mike looked down and saw that it was an unknown number.

"Yo." A female voice, tomboyishly nervous spoke.

"Who the hell's this?" Mike sighed.

"This is Leslie, the person who just hung up on you. Sorry about that. Sometimes I have to act like a bi-anyway, you're Mike, right? The guy who asked for a job here just now?"

"Yeah, that's me. " Mike tilted his head. "Wait, you're Leslie?"

"Yeah, I know I'm using a different voice and everything. This is how I normally speak!"

"I...Why are you calling me with a different phone?"

"Cause I wanted to talk to you without being monitored by the company. I took your number from our call, and I'm on morning break so...I'm talking to you on my cell."

"This can't be real, you can't be the Leslie I spoke to earlier."

"Are you sure about that ?" Suddenly the voice Mike recognised from his last call spoke to him. "See? That's the voice I use on the job. Like I said, that's how I got your number; I took it from the call log."

"That...sounds a little illegal…"

"Anyway, you're Mike Macfarlane, like, THE Mike MacFarlane? The mouse who sang 'My Way' way back at that concert?"

Mike blinked. "...You know who I am?"

"Sure I do! I'm...actually a bit of a fan. Well, not like obsessed or anything, but ever since that show people talk about you and the gang heaps on forums and-ah, I'm getting ahead of myself! Sorry about that..."

 _People...say we're popular? That I'M popular?! Huh._

 _I guess that's...not so surprising._

"Hey no problem, sweetheart." Mike sighed, letting himself relax a little. "Actually it's a bit of an ego-booster hearing that. Not that I mind, of course."

The voice on the other end laughed. "Well, I'm sure you hear that sort of thing a lot."

"Not from a pretty voice like yours."

Mike hit himself again. Not even a week after his breakup and he was already flirting around with a lady on the phone, a complete stranger! After begging her for a job he couldn't even get. What kind of mouse did Mike let himself turn into?

To be fair she had a wonderful voice, whether she was acting professionally or not.

That same eloquent voice took on an amused tone. "Oooh, so now you're gonna smooth talk me for the job, huh? That's what you're going for?"

 _You caught me._

"Uh...well…"

Another laugh came. "I'm only kidding around! You're just a charmer-type, I get that…"

Mike sighed. "So why did you call me, anyway? Obviously, you ain't giving me a job, are you?"

The mouse could hear the smile coming from the other line. "About that, I wanted to see what you thought about making a deal..."

* * *

Today marked Johnny's third visit to his father in prison.

Waiting rooms were hardly ever sized for large gorillas, so the chairs gave little comfort or patience. Johnny didn't mind though, the waiting times were never really that long.

He was partially through reading a men's fashion article when his name was called. Relieved, Johnny was lead through the same usual corridor, past the usual doors and security gates, and finally placed in the visitor's glass phone booth room.

Almost immediately Johnny's father spoke up, with a grin. "Ah, there he is, my young boy!"

Johnny smiled back. "Hiya Dad. How've you been?"

"Just the usual, boy. Sittin' in this craphole of a prison, trying not to lose my bloody mind while my life rots away..."

The younger gorilla knew well enough to feel guilty. "Oh, uh...that sounds...pretty..."

His dad groaned, not in sadness but annoyance. "Christ son, I'm only messing with ya! You never were quick with the black humour, were you?"

Johnny let out a deep breath. "Yeah...I guess you're right."

Their conversation continued the same as it did every other time Johnny visited. While his dad would mildly grumble (and sometimes boast) about rough prison life, Johnny would tell of his own life.

"Glad to see you're still keeping the ol' junker flat in shape." His father remarked. "Hope you're not feeling too lonely without yer old man bossing you around!"

Johnny paused for a beat. In that brief second, he decided against telling his Dad about Mike.

 _Mike wanted to keep himself hiding a secret. I can always tell Dad later..._

"I-I've managed." Johnny replied. "Rent's not even that expensive, and I've got friends to hang with, so it's fine."

"You like your new friends then?"

"...Yeah, I do. They're good people, really, they are."

The older gorilla leaned back in his chair and smirked. "Well, only a matter of time before you find a girl that catches your fancy, eh?"

 _Oh, here we go again..._

"W-what, no Dad I-"Johnny groaned. "Are we really gonna talk about that, here ?"

"Why the hell not? It's the most thrilling part of one's manhood, boy!" His dad exclaimed, banging a fist on his table. "You can't expect me to believe that my own son has no eye for girls, do you?"

"No, but-"

"So tell me, lad! You have someone, don'tcha? Go on, I won't tell the boys in here, I swear."

"Well, uh…" Johnny stalled, wishing he had more time to think of the right way to say it.

"Spit it out, come on!"

"I guess there's this girl at my job!" The younger gorilla spluttered. "A-a doe, named Maria. She's pretty cool, I guess. We talk a bit, in our free time..."

"See, now was that so hard?" His father grinned. "I have every faith in you to do right for her. You deserve a nice girl.."

"Uh, yeah...Sure thing, Dad…."

"Christ, you're really embarrassed, ain't you?" Johnny's father turned his head, acknowledging the prison guard coughing behind him. "Ah blast, looks like me time's up. Same time next week, then?"

"Yeah, of course." Johnny tightened his grip on the phone subconsciously. "Don't get into too much trouble in there, alright?"

"Hah, I wish there was trouble around here! That'd be exciting, wouldn't it?"

"Haha, well...see-ya then."

They both hung up, and were respectively escorted by their own officer out of the room.

The walk back home gave Johnny too much time to think.

 _Fifteen years before he can get out...unless I can somehow fork up a fortune before then._

 _But bloody hell, my job only just covers the food and rent, and I don't have anyone to ask, do I?_

 _Money seemed to be the solution to everything these days._

 _Screw it, I'll figure something out. I just gotta keep working…_

 _At least Dad's managing fine, he's...actually a lot more sociable, relaxed-I think, now that he doesn't run a criminal gang..._

 _...Did I really just tell him I had a thing for Maria? I totally did, didn't I?_

 _Crap, now he's gonna be asking me about that every damn time I come back!_

 _Should I just make something up next time? I'd hate to lie, but…_

 _Argh, whatever._

Johnny shook his thoughts away by the time he made it back home.

When he entered, he saw Mike lying down on the couch, staring at the ceiling. "Gee, you sure took your time, didn't ya?"

Johnny deflected the comment with a smile. "How was the interview?"

"Ugh, don't ask…"

"That bad, huh?"

"Oh no, it went well but uh...I might have made a deal that I can never go back on..."

"What? What happened?!"

"I'll tell you in a second, calm down! You got anything decent to drink?"

Over two cans of soda Johnny listened to Mike's story, then laughed.


End file.
